Birth of a Hero
by The Writer of Epicas
Summary: The pokemon world isn't the innocent land the games and anime have told you it was. It tells of war and slaughters. This is the tale of one of those wars and slaughters and a single man caught in the middle of a clash between swords. All he wants is to get out. He has but one opening he can squeeze through, but not without some cuts. And maybe he can swat the swords down as he goes
1. Chapter 1: Stand up and Fight

I stood there in the mud panting heavily in the relentless downpour with a fire that burned brighter in the rain in my eyes. The emerald forest surrounding me combined with the liquid earth created by the sudden storm gave me only two routes to travel by, and both were blocked by an invading enemy of opposite sides. From the east came soldiers dressed in red and leading with a pack of Houndoom and the west came soldiers in blue with a pack of Mightyena, both of which snarled fiercely and bared their fangs. The forest was too dense to fly away, leaving me the option of fighting a two-front battle.

This isn't a cute, innocent world as many think it to be. There's the world of Brawler Trainers who just train their pokemon to battle one another with no consequences, but then there are trainers like me, Warrior Trainers, who fight with pokemon against pokemon and trainers in a war. They are powerful creatures that can create flames and electricity themselves. They're better than any weapon we can create, but Warrior Trainers must be as skilled as their pokemon so we carry around a sword or two. This won't end in me giving them all twenty bucks if I lose. This is a fight for my life-well, our lives.

I pulled out two pokeballs and unleashed them in a brilliant flash of light. "Gallade, unsheath! Electivire, charge!" I shouted as the two emerged from the light. Gallade stood ready and vigilant with his blades extended and sharpened while Electivire jumped in the mud, amped and energized with sparks generating between his antennae. "Get some Brick Breaks ready on both of your ends," I ordered. My right hand slid around the sword I kept at my left hip and gripped the hilt tightly. "If you want to live, you have to fight." If there was only five or six this wouldn't be so hard, but there were dozens of barking hounds darting towards me. Thank Arceus for the rain stopping the Houndoom from using flamethrower.

The leading Mightyena and Houndoom pounced towards us with only hatred in their eyes. Gallade swung his arm with a Brick Break at the Mightyena while Electivire knocked the Houndoom in his stomach, sending both flying to the back of their packs. The rest lined up and formed a wall, blocking both ends of the path. The trainers commanding them weren't too far behind and caught up soon afterwards.

"You son of a bitch!" the leader of the Houndoom platoon, all of which had red bandanas tied around their necks, shouted to me. "You helped us out so many times. Why do you suddenly turn against us?!" Odd, they weren't trying to kill me yet. I know their tactics better than they themself do and they would have ordered them to kill me on the spot.

"Wait, he worked for _you_?!" shouted the leader of the Mightyena platoon, all of which wire blue bandanas around their necks. I turned to him and was going to explain, but he cut me off. "You worked for both sides, and weren't loyal to either?!"

"Wait a fucking second and let me expl-"

"Houndoom! Attack!" shouted the leader of the Houndoom as the leader of the Mightyena simultaneously shouted. "Go! Mightyena!" They all howled fiercely and leapt towards us. Reason's out of the question.

"Gallade! Electivire! Don't let _any_ of them get past you!" I ordered as they started taking down Dark-Types one after the other that tried to get to me. Two of them bit at each of their legs (eight total) with ravenous, ferocious tearing that halted them in their tracks as they tried to get rid of them. They cried their names in pain as they tried to hit them away, leaving an opening for them to attack me. The Mightyena were closer and fiercer, so I sprung towards them with my own blade hacking into the enemy. Oh Arceus, how I envy the Brawler Trainers who don't have to deal with this carnage. The pokemon all died with hatred still burning in their eyes.

Speaking of burning, the Houndoom crunched into my hip with a Fire Fang and started tearing away with his mighty jaws. I muffled a screech of pain as the beast started burning away at my skin. The rain both helped and hurt with the pain. Gallade and Electivire freed themselves and started defending against the Dark Types. I meanwhile slashed the sword into the Houndoom after recovering from the agony.

A few minutes of blood and gore passed, littering the mud with bodies and changing the color to crimson with blood. I more or less stood there, ready but recovering. How fragile am I if I can't handle a single bite yet Gallade and Electivire can stand up to packs of them. Five or Six enemy pokemon stayed back, frightened for good reason. The trainers didn't want to send them in there either.

"Listen, just… just let me explain what happened-"

"You killed about fifty pokemon in a few minutes…" said one of the blue soldiers.

"I was trying to stay neutral and help equally. I wasn't going to attack either side."

"Well, in less than twenty four hours, you fucked up. You're your own side in this war." Both sides started back to their bases.

"You…" I turned to my pokemon and spoke in a weak voice "you did well." They walked towards me and tried to help me walk. "I'm fine," I said. I pointed to their scars coating their legs. "I can't say the… the same for you. Return." I tapped them with their pokeballs and started walking. The nearest town is a little to the south. I'll make it there in a few hours if I walk now… Or I can wait out the rain and get there tomorrow without straining my body. Next to me was a small hole in a tree. This'll do. I crawled in there and curled up as a frightened Bidoof stumbled out. Fuckin' Bidoofs. No one loves you!

The mud will be traversable tomorrow. I'll just nap until then...


	2. Chapter 2: Lucas

I want to say that starting here, things go downhill and get less thrilling as the first chapter. I slowly realized that and fixed it by Chapter Eight. Please, put up with this until about there. I would fix it but it's already there and editing it would be a pain in the ass and would do more bad than good.

* * *

"Really?!" he said with excitement practically spewing out of his eyes. "You're just going to _give_ me a pokemon?!" Before him stood three pokeballs on a podium.

"Yup," replied Professor Rowen. The only way this could have been better for him would be to have his pokemon be given to him by Professor Oak. "Feel free to pick between any of the three, Lucas."

"And I get a pokemon… for free?"

"Normally it wouldn't be," said Rowen, "but your mom did a few favors to get you a pokemon and, well…" When Lucas told me what happened I couldn't stop laughing at this part.

"So I choose between Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup…?" He scratched his chin and looked at pictures of all three pokemon. "Yeah, I'll have to go with Chimchar." He snatched up the pokeball containing the Chimchar and set it free. He opened his eyes slowly and stared at his new owner. Lucas squatted down and looked his pokemon in the eyes. Both were curious at the other gazing at them. "Hey there," Lucas said as he extended a hand to his new pokemon.

"Chimchar," said Professor Rowen to what was once his pokemon, "this is your new owner. His name is Lucas." He grabbed a bag on the counter filled with a few pokeballs, potions, food, clothes and some money. "Here, take this," he said, tossing the bag to Lucas. "Go on. There's a whole world out there and you need to explore it!"

Lucas strolled out with his Chimchar behind him and an empty pokeball in his hand. They ran past people and homes until they reached the northern exit of Sandgem town to Route 202. Lucas searched around in the woods for another pokemon to catch. Starley flew through the trees and bidoof… fuck Bidoof. We aren't talking about Bidoof. He isn't a choice.

Then there was a small, blue cat like creature with a tuft of hair sticking up from his head. Lucas grinned. "Chimchar, see that Shinx?" The small pokemon's eyes darted towards the small lion pokemon and nodded. "Now, go and use scratch on it." The chimp nodded and jumped towards the Shinx with its claws ready. The unsuspecting pokemon took the hit on and, frightened, ran away. "Follow it!" Lucas chased it down for a few minutes before Shinx hid in a hollow spot in a tree.

And this is where I come in.

I woke up to a shinx curling up next to me in fear, trembling. He was putting pressure against the spot that Houndoom mauled with a Fire Fang, causing a sharp rise in pain. After muffling yet another groan of pain, I looked at the fearful Shinx. "You little shit," I muttered, pushing him a little out of the way. I put a finger at the dirt-yes, I said dirt. It's dry finally due to all these trees sucking up all this water. I'll get up in just a minute. It's comfortable here... Then I looked at the Shinx. Why was it so afraid? Gazing out into the path told me the answer when I saw a young trainer with his Chimchar sprinting through the forest, just about fifty feet away. He noticed me as well as the Shinx.

"Hey mister," he said a little awkwardly, as seeing a grown man inside a tree isn't exactly normal. "Could you bring that Shinx out here? I'm trying to catch it."

I complied with him and pushed out the Shinx. The Chimchar once again leapt at the lion pokemon with claws ready to scratch, put the Shinx was prepared this time to counter with a tackle. Shinx gave no time to recover and again tried to tackle. Chimchar dodged and scratched the Shinx.

"That should be enough," he said and threw the pokeball at the lion. One tick. Two ticks. Three ticks. And, where my pokeballs would usually free the pokemon because the world is a troll, Shinx was captured. He jumped with joy as he held the pokeball in his hand. He promptly freed it and released it out into the world. The Shinx now seemed to comply with him and seem happy with his new master.

"Thanks mister," he said.

"No problem," I replied, slowly crawling out of the hole.

"Mind if I ask what you were doing in there?" he asked.

"It was raining and muddy yesterday and I needed shelter. This was the quickest I could find." I stretched out my back. Cozy as it was in there, it was a little cramped. "Hey, do you-"

"Woah!" He ran over to my side and looked at the sword at my side. "You're a Warrior Trainer?!"

"Yeah, but listen, do-"

"That's… just… amazing." He stared in awe at the blade. "What side are you on?"

"My own. Listen, where is the nearest town?"

"Uh, that way." He pointed north to Jubilife City. The closest town was actually Sandgem Town that was only ten or fifteen minutes away but he wanted me to go north with him for one reason or another. "I'm headed that way, too. I'll take you."

"I'm fine," I said.

"Just go," he replied. He tried to grab at my arm but I pulled away and he instead hit my wound, creating-you guessed it-a muffled groan of pain. He turned back when I let it escape my lips. "Your wounded…" He looked around for something that could help me. "If I knew something about medical herbs I could help, but-"

"Relax kid, I have it covered." I pulled out a pokeball and released a shiny Metagross to the path. He gasped at the sight of a half ton four-legged metallic beast slam against the dirt. "Metagross, head that way," I said, pointing north, as I climbed onto his head. "And I hope you don't mind, but I don't want to stress myself."

"Meta, gross meta meta," he said. He technically had no gender, but I call him a he because it's more he than she and I refuse to call one of my pokemon "it".

"Yeah, he's an option, but flying there would go too fast and stress my body out even more." Metagross sighed with part of his name and started walking-stomping more like it. The kid and his pokemon started walking alongside my steel-type.

"You have a _shiny _Metagross?!" His mouth gaped open as he looked at the silver beast with a golden X on his face.

"How far away is Jubilife City?" I asked.

"Oh, uh, a few hours away if we don't stop," he replied.

"Damn it," I murmured. The trainer, whose name I learned on the way was Lucas, started training against wild pokemon and using potions. Chimchar learned Ember and Shinx learned Spark. He wouldn't stop cheering about it. I mean, yay his pokemon are stronger, but we all went through the same experiences along the way. I eventually tuned it out, but still.

Far off in the woods, a soldier in blue was spying on me with a telescope. He pulled out a small radio, activated it and spoke into it. "Sir, I've found him. He's headin' to Jubilife… What, fight him? No, he has a Metagross out…! Yeah, he's riding him. The Reds messed him up pretty bad… on it." He clicked the radio off and started moving northeast.


	3. Chapter 3: Jubilife City

I rode into town on the head of Metagross with people giving me odd stares. I can understand why someone would find the sight odd but its not the oddest sight someone's seen here. Ever heard of Looker?

Lucas, although leading the way, walked straight past the Pokemon Center, whose entrance was too small for Metagross to fit in . "Hey, hey Metagross, stop here." He halted where he was, causing people to bump into him and walk around. "What are you doing? This was my stop." I put Metagross back into his pokeball and landed on my feet.

"You need to go to a hospital," Lucas replied. "There's one a few blocks further-"

"And my pokemon need healing. Their legs are much worse than my injury. I limped my way inside, pushing people out of line to get in front. I slammed Gallade's and Electivire's pokeballs on the counter. "Heal them, please," I ordered to a shocked Nurse Joy.

"Other people were ahead of you," said Nurse Joy. Other people said things that agreed with her.

I lifted up part of my shirt and revealed the wound to her. She gasped. "See this? The pokemon I'm giving you to heal have worse wounds from protecting me. Now goddam it, heal them!" She quickly reached for them and gave them to her Chancey.

"Quick, get them ready for me. I'll be in in a minute," she said. "And you, go to the hospital a few blocks down."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, limping back out. Lucas was still standing there waiting for me. "What, you're still here?"

"You don't know where the hospital is, right?"

"I'll be fine. You're on your own journey, right?" I released Metagross out and started climbing back onto him. "You're not always going to have another human by your side. This means that your pokemon will be your only real companions. Bond with them even further. Train with them and surpass their natural limits." I tapped the large silver pokemon on the head twice to signal for it to keep moving. "Besides, hospitals have a giant sign over them most of the time. I can find it."

Lucas drooped his head like a puppy when they know they did something wrong and started heading east to Oreburg City with Chimchar on his shoulder and Shinx at his heels. He has some potential, though I'd never tell him. Not for any pride reason though. Telling someone they have potential inspires them to get better, but them getting better on their own is far more effective. It is greater to strive to surpass limits you set instead of being told you can and trying because of that.

The hospital was blatantly obvious with a giant red sign with a Red Cross symbol and the words _Warrior's Sanctuary Hospital_ written in white across the entire board. The only way it could have been less obvious was if it were jutted out in the middle of the street with signal lights and fire works lighting up around it. While that would certainly attract customers, they did fine with the sign.

Once again, the entrance was too small for Metagross, so I pulled him back in his pokeball and limped my way in. Surprisingly, there weren't any people in front of me in line-well, I guess not in line if there's only one person, so dot? Or speck? Something along those lines.

"Can I help you, sir?" said the lady at the front desk. She seemed like the type who had worked this job for several years.

"Yeah, give me a doctor or something," I replied.

"Why? What's wrong?" The words held no care in them whatsoever.

I lifted up my shirt, revealing the bite mark that somehow hasn't completely stopped bleeding. I liked this shirt. I will follow that Houndoom to hell to kill it again. "Like I said, give me a doctor."

She tapped a few buttons on her computer then looked at me. "I called for a doctor. A room will be ready in about five minutes and someone to take you there in two. For now, I need to know who you are. Name?"

"Ailbus," I replied.

"First and last," she repeated.

"Just Ailbus," I again said. "If you're worried about if I don't pay or something, I have plenty of money on me." I showed her a stack of roughly a few thousand. "And don't think you can overprice me because I have a lot on me." The last people who did that will never do it again.

"It's for medical records, but I'll just let it slide for now." She typed a random name into the last name box. She asked me medical questions about my health and blood type and things like that. An escort came down just as she finished with her interrogation.

"Come on, let's go. Your room's on the second floor." He helped me crutch my way to an elevator slowly and surely. Each step was starting to grow more painful than the last. Anything to relieve the pain would be a gift from the gods. Then I noticed the escort eyeing my sword by my side. "Sir, weapons aren't allowed in here." He reached for the saber. I slapped his arm away.

"I don't give two shits what your rules are, this sword stays with me." I glared into his eyes with the flames of hell burning within mine. Then another wave of pain doused the flames with a muffled groan. I was practically gasping for air like a Magikarp on the docks.

"You alright sir?" he asked.

"I'll be fine if you people do your job," I replied. The door opened and he helped me agains crutch my way to my room. The doctor had a table ready for me along with bottles of varying medicine and bandages.

"Alright, let's get this done quickly," he said. The escort held back my arms as the doctor pulled out a bottle of peroxide. Oh shit. For all I know it was acid because OWWWWW GOD FUCKING DAMMIT. Then, still arms held back, he jabbed a needle into one side of the wound and started stitching up the wound. This part was even worse. I practically passed out during this. Well, it was more just going into my happy place. When I faded back in the doctor wrapped the bandages coated in medicines around my waist. I don't know what it was, but I think it was live beedrill because _this hurts like a bitch goddam it fuck_. Imagine live wasps swarming inside of you for twenty minutes without giving you a second of rest. That's what this feels like. I didn't even notice that twenty minutes had past when the time was up. "Now, stay here for a few hours or so and rest up."

"No… no, I can't," I said. "I have somewhere to be."

"No, I insist," said the doctor.

"I'm leaving," I said again.

He grabbed my arm firmly and seriously. "Stay here." He leaned in and whispered, "There are soldiers here looking for you. I convinced them to at least wait until I could help you so you wouldn't die, but they're just outside in the hallway."

"Thanks," I said. "But I'll be fine." I pulled out a pokeball and started walking out. The elevator opened with a blue soldier standing there with a Scizor. Well, that exit's gone. I turned to the stairs which was guarded by a blue with his Heracross. And that exit's gone as well. More blue trainers came out of the rooms. I could fight my way out, or…

I bolted back to the doctor and slammed a pile of money on the table. "For the treatment and the damages I'm about to cause," I said. I pressed the button on the pokeball and released a Latios into the world. "Go forward and use Dragon Pulse!" I pointed towards the window. Latios sped out faster than a Jet Plane and a Dragon Pulse even faster purged out of his mouth, breaking the window to shards. He raced out, becoming a blur to the soldiers behind us, though that's nothing compared to his maximum at Mach 3.5 (I measured his speed a while ago and that's damn impressive) while trainers with Pidgeots and Staraptors tried to keep up with me. I passed by people before they could even hear me pass them.

I ran by the pokemon center, ran in, picked up Gallade and Electivire, and hopped back on Latios. If I'm in this war now, I'll need help. I have friends in Oreburg City, maybe they could help.

Elsewhere, the leader of the Blue Army hung up the phone. He had a picture of me, along with Gallade, Electivire and Metagross. "He has a Latios?" He pinned up a picture of a Latios. "So far we know Gallade has Brick Break and Psycho cut, Electivire has Thunder Punch and Brick Break, Metagross has Psychic and Latios has Dragon Pulse…" He strolled back and forth as he scratched his stubbly chin. "Plus there's two pokemon he could have or does have… and the unknown moves… Why did he have to involve himself in this war? If we can get him on our side…"


	4. Chapter 4: Byron

Oreburg City was always a nice place. The land, although barren of green, was rocky and simplistic with simplistic people and simplistic business. The town's source of income was a coal mine at the south end of town. I don't know how but it managed to remain free of smoke and all that crap from processing the coal for use or something like that. Hell, the air was pure even.

Latios dropped me off before I entered the city. Although it would be cool, it would attract attention and I don't necessarily want that. Everyone paid me no attention as I walked through the streets. I passed by the Gym with a little nostalgia and kept moving. Byron usually isn't at the Gym.

He of course wasn't. I saw him giving fossils to the scientist people that do the science with the fossils. Paleontologist, I believe is the actual name. He was selling a few Skull and Shield fossils. "Come on, there's like twenty fossils here-twenty pokemon waiting to join the world! This is _all_ you're giving me?"

"Eighteen fossils, and you're getting so much that demand has lowered," one of the Paleontologists explained. "We can't afford to sell them at the price we did, Byron."

"Are you telling me that people don't want a precious Shieldon for themselves anymore?!" he shouted.

"Who would want one?" I added. Byron darted his head towards me. "They're fairly slow and, while they can take a hit head on-no pun intended-, they're not the best defenders out there. There are better tanks you can use."

"Yeah? Like what?" He asked. I grinned and released the silver Metagross into the laboratory. He gaped his mouth open at a sight he hadn't seen in six years.

"This guy right here. Light if it has the right ability, stable, smart and hurts like a motherfucker." I should know. I was once on the receiving end of a Meteor Mash before.

"Ailbus? Is it really you?" He ran over to Metagross and started examining him for one reason or another. "What am I saying, of course it's you! Like I could ever forget a Steel-Type like yours!"

"Uh, thanks?" I questionably replied. "So what's the problem here?"

"These guys are nearly halving the price for my fossils," he scowled. "For amazing shieldon for their own and powerful Cranidos that can't surpass a shieldon's defence but still!"

"You're bringing them up at the rate you find them," I said. "If you knew the first thing about business and didn't just work as a Gym Leader, you would know to bring in the supply slowly to increase demand and the value for a single pokemon. That's what they do with diamonds."

"Oh my Arceus, I feel so stupid for not thinking of that earlier!" Byron exclaimed. He turned to the Paleontologists. "Well, you heard him. Limit the supply and we'll make tons more money off these pokemon!"

"Uh, got it," they said. "We'll buy these from you when we run out of the ones we currently have."

"Well Ailbus," he said, "I'm sure you didn't stop by to help me with fossils. What's happening? Who's troublin' ya? If I catch them, I swear, I'll hit them so hard their spleen will come right out their pancreas-"

"No-no, it's nothing like that. I was just in the area and I just thought I should pay a visit." I can't say anything in public. His house should be safe enough. "How's the wife?"

"Oh, she's fantastic. Beautiful, just beautiful-even after the kid," he answered, gazing at the sky.

"I'll bet… wait, kid?"

"Yeah. We had a son two years ago named Roark."

"Damn," I said. "I've been out of touch for a while now, haven't I?" Byron was one of my closer friends amongst Gym Leaders. How did I let time slip by that fast without a single visit?

"Well?" Byron said with a sly grin.

"'Well' what?" I said back.

"What about you and your girl?"

"Well," I looked down at the ground. "I visit her a lot and we stay in touch, but things just aren't the same."

"No shit," he groaned. "You've agreed to risk your life and travel around as a Warrior Trainer. Ain't it obvious she's worried and don't want you to die?"

"I'd rather die than let the world continue as it is," I replied. Nothing further on the topic was said on our way to his house. We spoke of updates to our adventures over the years and reminisced on ones we shared. If I had the entire scene up to my choice, we would be at the bar with a drink in our hands. Either way, we laughed and told story upon story until the end when one of us had to go home or, in this case, both of us.

Byron's wife and son, Roark, greeted us as we entered. "Honey, if you don't remember, this is Ailbus." He pointed to me and wrapped an arm around his beloved.

"I believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you before, but I'm sorry I don't remember when that was." She said it with an apologetic smile.

"It's alright," I said. Truthfully, neither did I. I just remembered that Byron had a wife. "Many people don't." I looked Byron in the eyes with the part of me that would have prefered to have a drink and a bar right now dead and the part that just wanted to survive the next fight rising from its ashes. "Byron, I need to talk to you."

"Well, I assumed that's why you came to town anyways," he sighed. He lead me to a room filled with varying fossils of varying sizes. I used to marvel at this room like thief in a bank vault, although none of the pokemon seemed like my style. "Well, what's the issue?"

"I'm in the war," I said.

"God fucking damn it," he muttered. He reacted quick to serious situations and sometimes he made stupid choices. "I thought you were neutral in this."

"I am," I said.

"Your girl's gonna be absolutely pissed when she finds out." He took a deep breath. "It's alright, you're skilled enough not to die… so, what side are you on?"

"I'm on my own side," I replied with a proud, courageous tone. "It's a bit of a long story."

"I've got time," Byron said. His chair creaked as he leaned back to listen.

"Yeah, but I don't." I did, actually. I need his help and he probably won't if he find's out the whole story. Hell, I wouldn't believe me if I heard someone tell me that happened. It's a glorified version of a middle schooler's excuse. "I need a favor from you," I said.

"Oh Arceus, what is it?" He seemed completely uninterested. "I can almost guarantee that I'm not going to help if you're gonna ask me what I think you are."

"It's a big favor but an easy one," I said. "You've been fighting battles for a while now. I just need you on standby to up the ante if I need you to."

"You mean to ask me-" A man opened the door to the fossil room. He was an employee for the Gym.

"Uh, am I interrupting something?"

"You are," Byron scowled, "but it's not important. What's up?" He practically bounced out of his chair.

"Well, you have a challenger at the Gym."

"Really? 'Bout time. Who is he?" He popped his knuckles and grinned. Oh Arceus, the way he grinned was just maddening. I had nightmares about this grin before. It was just… n, I can't. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts…

"His name is Lucas-" Looks like he made it here, and pretty quickly too "-and he has a Monferno, Luxio and Starly." So he evolved his monkey and lion from the last time I saw him and caught a Starly. Dialga, it's been like four hours now. What the hell has he been doing during this time?

"Really?" He scratched his chin. "I'll go with Team One."

"You have multiple teams?" I raised an eyebrow. "What, you keep pokemon just for weaker trainers?"

"Well, yeah," he said. "You weren't a Gym Leader for very long-only about a year or so-and you were the Gym Leader for Sunnyshore City, the city on the way to the Elite Four. You were almost always the last stop along the way. You were the final step along the way-well, more like a wall. Good thing you're not in charge of a Gym anymore."

"The upgrade's even better," I smirked.

"Anyways, weaker trainers just starting out never came to you to challenge you. You were just the final stop for people to visit before going to the Pokemon League-well, before trying to. I mean, fucking really? Who's the one who thought that we should hire this fortress to have everyone try to beat…?! It's our job to lose but provide challenge while losing."

"Look, before you leave, can you at least tell me if you're going to accept? It's a big request, I know, but I need help on this and you can fly to me in a few hours and-"

"You know what I haven't had in a while? A good fight. And, if it'll shut you up, I'll go along with you _if_ and only _if_ you beat me." That won't be so hard, but it will be a lot of fun. "_Will_ that shut you up?"

"Sure, I can spare some more time. They haven't found me yet, I hope," I said. That stupid bastard. _He_ challenged _me_. "But you're a challenger now. You're challenging me. This battle will be by my rules."

"God dammit," he spat. "Should've clarified the battle-type." Half the reason my Gym was a wall was because of the way we fought. Battles lasted hours-my most interesting battle took an entire day.

"Um, sir, he's waiting at the Gym for you," said the waiting Gym employee.

"Right, sorry," Byron replied. He started running out, kissing his wife on the cheek on the way. "Come along, Ailbus," he said. "When I'm done with this, I want to kick your ass!"

* * *

Wow, this one is just a fuckton of exposition. If anyone actually finished this chapter, *clapping* good job. And I don't care if you follow or favorite-honestly, I don't. I'm not here for the almost no praise I will get for this. I'm here to sharpen my writing technique. So, please give me an opinion of how I could get better. Or not. I don't control you, unfortunately.


	5. Chapter 5: Vs Byron

"Monferno! Ember!" Lucas shouted. The monkey pokemon opened its mouth and spat specks of flames towards at the teal, hexagonal/circular Bronzor. The receiver of the attack fainted almost instantly.

"Bronzor, return," Byron said. "You did good." He slipped the pokeball in a tray and pulled out another from his belt. "Magnemite, go!" The Magnemite burst from the light with a… I don't even know what it was actually. "Thundershock!"

I honestly zoned out during this. I snuck in once everything began and watched from there. It was a decent fight between mostly his Monferno using type-advantage to kick serious ass. That's why I don't use a single tpe. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and it's hard to fight against a water type when all you have are fire types.

Byron was barely using his prefered strategy. His technique was usually standing his ground and defending himself to complete hell. His pokemon were-still are, actually-complete tanks that endure the first few hits and then strike back with a mighty blow. That was the Byron I fought before. He was a pain if you didn't have a powerful lance to pierce through his shield. And this is why I could use him to my advantage in this war. It's still bullshit why I'm in this in the first place. Complaining won't do anything, but still.

"Mach Punch!" Lucas shouted. Oh right, there's a battle going on. The Monferno roared and sped to the Shieldon (when did that get there?), knocking it out nearly instantly. I'm assuming I zoned in at the end.

"Shieldon, return," Byron said. "You did well." The pokeball slid into the tray thingy from before… Arceus, I'm bored. "And so did you, Lucas." Against his lowest team, I should add. Byron flipped Lucas the Mine Badge as if it were a coin. Lucas basked in the glory of his first badge to such an extent that you'd think it fell into his pocket from the heavens. He rose his head to thank him before Byron sorta hurried him out. "No need to hang around here in the gym. You should check out other parts of the town. You can buy fossils from the museum. Something. Sorry to push you out, but I have a battle with an old friend."

"Thanks for the badge anyways," he grinned and dashed out. For a brief second, he may have seen me out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't give a second glance to clarify.

"Now that you're without a challenger," I said, walking down the stadium stairs, "you've become one yourself."

"Don't think I forgot. It's been, what, thirty minutes? Forty-five?" Byron cracked his knuckles again. "And I've been waiting for a chance to battle you again." Then he just started showing off by cracking joints that aren't normally cracked, like the elbows and shoulders. Cocky bastard. "Oh, and leave your sword somewhere. It's obvious, but this is a Brawler's Battle."

"I'd rather keep it with me," I answered. Call it paranoia or precaution, but I don't feel as safe without my sword-no, not safe. I don't feel as useful without my sword. I don't want to just be the controller of my pokemon but rather I want to be able to fight alongside these almighty creatures. "And I'd think that you should start getting used to swords, 'cause you're gonna need one if you wanna live."

"Keep talking," he said. "Let's see how you handle yourself on the battlefield"

"You and I _both_ know that I can handle myself on my type of battlefield."

"But this isn't your home turf," Byron grinned. "Twenty minutes and we begin the battle." He sprinted off and released his Skarmory, riding it into the skies. My prefered type of battle isn't head-to-head like most people battle. I have a realistic touch into things. Both sides agree to a time of neutrality where we stay away from each other and prepare for the battle, with the only rule being to stay away from the city. Then we would fight, but it was an overall game of predator hunting their prey. Who was which should have swapped often as each side used the environment to their advantage. Unfortunately, when I was a Gym Leader, no one was used to the change in style and couldn't manage to provide a good challenge. Only from other Gym Leaders did I get a decent fight, and even from them I couldn't lose. Things were closer in a head-to-head fight, but not as interesting. Byron, however, knows what I tend to do in these types of battles… this could actually be interesting… twenty minutes, huh?

Elsewhere, the same man who had my face pinned up with pictures of my pokemon and their moves _still_ was staring at it, scratching his chin, like a fucking creep. "If you didn't have to involve yourself, this whole thing would be so much easier…"

The door to his office slammed open. One of the Blue Soldiers stood there, panting. "Sir… sir, Ailbus is in Oreburg City!"

"Well… Send in Midas!"

"I'm right here," said a cloaked figure. "And no need to tell me twice." Midas grinned. He pulled out a pokeball and spun it on his index finger. "I've been waiting for a good fight."

Everything about where I was was absolutely perfect. There was a small cave I hid myself in was nearly on top of the mountain and faced east, away from the town. Perfect. Now I just wait for him.

I released Gallade and Metagross. Gallade has Telepathy and can sense other people and pokemon. His moveset is built around being an exceptional scout and I'll be damned if he isn't. Metagross is the complete opposite. Gallade is based on stealthy, swift and lethal strikes, along with surveillance. Metagross is based on complete devastating attacks. He's a tank that can just mow down enemy lines despite the number of enemy pokemon. It's a silver destructive machine with the brain of a supercomputer.

And with them ready and hidden, I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Byron was taking his sweet, fucking time to find me. Gallade can detect living beings within a few miles and he wasn't even close. Oh, I see. That bastard was hiding from me so he could take the defensive. I wasn't surprised, but rather annoyed.

"Gallade," I pulled out Latios's pokeball and released it to the world. "Ride on Latios and scout the area. Hold on for dear life, because I can't have him see you two. Don't be gone for longer than a few minutes." With that they sped off just below the speed of sound as to not be seen. I sometimes can't stop thinking about how amazing pokemon are. They surpass everything we humans can make.

He returned before I knew it-literally. Latios is just so damn fast. I'm glad he's on my side. "Found him," he thought to me. "He's northeast, roughly a few miles and fortressed in a cave with his Bastiodon."

"One entrance to the cave?"

"Yup."

"Goddam it," I muttered. "He never takes the offensive."

"And someone else is out here, too." He sounded concerned-worried, even.

"Who?" I asked. "Just a civilian?" I knew I was wrong the moment I said it. He wouldn't be worried over a bystander.

"I don't know who it was-" I've only heard him say that about Sabrina and a girl named Isidora, and they're painfully powerful pokemon trainers who have even more powerful psychic pokemon "-, but he was able to detect me before I detected him."

"What pokemon could do-"

"No pokemon," he said. "He didn't have any released." I started trembling the moment he said that. I can only hope he isn't an enemy.

"Well, hopefully he won't bother us if we don't bother him," I said. "We need to get to Byron." I have time to fight him, but I don't see why he's choosing to waste time fighting me.

I tapped Metagross with his pokeball as well as Gallade and slid around Latios's back. "Let's go," I ordered.

"Latios!" he shouted in the adorable but simultaneously annoying way pokemon spoke. He jetted forward in a blur, rugged stone and emerald trees racing past in colored streaks. I couldn't hear anything. Sound wasn't fast enough to reach us. It felt like hours but it only took seconds. And you have no idea how painful it was to adapt to be able to travel this fast without dying or injury.

"There you are," said Byron. His skarmory was his steed as he soared through the skies. Clever son of a bitch, he's taking the offensive on me. After our battle he told me he had a Bronzong detect when Gallade came searching for him, so when Gallade did he ran out and hid with his Skarmory.

"For once you're on the offensive," I smirked.

"I always am," he smirked back. "The best offense is a good defence."

Latios prepared to charge towards Byron but a Thunderbolt nearly grazed against him. Both he and I turned towards where the Thunderbolt came from to see a Magnezone hovering in the air. "You really think I wouldn't set up another defence?"

"Latios, you can handle Skarmory, right?" I said. Latios roared to confirm. "Good. 'Cause I'm going after Magnezone." I swung off of his back and started my plummet to the magnet pokemon below. He started floating away so I drifted over towards him… or her… I don't really know. I wrapped my fingers around Electivire's pokeball, but I wasn't able to send him out. I was interrupted.

"Electivire, cha-" A Fire Blast swept through the air in front of me and almost hit me directly. My hair however was minorly singed. That bitch. I darted my glaring eyes to the source. A cloaked man on a Golden Dragonite-wait, those exist?-grinned a wide, nightmarish smile that just makes me shit my pants.

"There you are," he cackled.

* * *

This one took me a bit longer than I thought it would and I absolutely love it. Well, mostly that's because I know where I'm heading with it. Anyways, once again, give me your opinion of the story so far. I don't give a damn about followers or favorites (though I don't mind them. Thanks, honestly), I just want to perfect my writing and you can help me by simply stating your honest opinion.


	6. Chapter 6: A Way Out

"Who the fuck are you!?" I shouted as Latios ran by to catch me. The cloaked figure paid my question no mind and continued laughing.

"I've been looking for you everywhere… well, that's a lie. I was told you'd be around here and it didn't take long to find you after that. It's been about an hour or so."

"Buddy," Byron shouted, "he asked you a question. Give him a goddam ans-"

"Thunder," he muttered. His golden Dragonite sparked briefly like a storm cloud. He arched his neck, opened his mouth and spewed a bolt of lightning so powerful and fast that Skarmory and Byron could no longer stay in the air and they were sent into freefall to the ground. Magnezone came hovering to catch them. I wasn't paying attention to them, but he lived, so I assumed Magnezone caught them.

"What the hell was that for?!" I yelled in pure anger. Damn him. A simple question set him off? Just who is he?

"Oh, that? I wasn't talking to him and he rudely interrupted me when I was trying to talk to you." he cackled. Maybe I could find out who he is by his fighting style. Satisfy my rage and my thoughts.

"Latios, Aeria-"

"Don't even think about it," he said. "I'm trying to make simple conversation, but all I need you to do is talk. Your condition is not important. And neither is your friend's." His Dragonite started sparking. I clenched my teeth. Damn him.

"Alright, you wanna talk?" He nodded. "I'll talk about whatever you want if you answer a few questions of mine." He stood silent. "What's your name?" I tried to talk as casual as possible while holding back myself from shouting at him.

"Don't know the one I got from birth, but my friend, Surge, calls me Midas." The name sounds familiar but I can't tell you where I heard it from. I reached into the depths of my mind for an answer, spelunking into the caves I haven't thought myself into for many years but returned empty handed. So much for finding out who he is.

"Alright then, Midas, why are you here?"

"I can't tell you who sent me, but I've been sent here with a message for you." He'll tell me if I ask or not and I have one last, insignificant question that burns within me.

"And how is your Dragonite golden?"

"How should I know? I found a golden Dratini out in the woods and I caught it and trained it into this."

"... Ok. And what's the message?" I started noticing that bottling up anger actually keeps it stored away for me. I was calmer. More relaxed. Yet still tense.

"Oh, I envy you on this. He went through the trouble of setting things up and moving things around just for this and _you_ get to have all the fun."

"Just say it," I said, growing impatient. He speaks like he knows me yet he cackles and laughs like he'll kill me.

"The man who sent me has an offer for you. He's heard about your skills yet known very little about what you do. He knows your strategy but not all your pokemon and their moves. He's been gathering information on you and wants to fight you. If you do well, he'll pull some strings and get you out of the war. Hell, do well enough and he'll stop the entire war altogether."

"I accept," I said without thinking. "Take me to this man." It didn't hit me until later how much of a total fucking asshole this guy is. He has the power to stop the war yet does nothing.

"Well, he wouldn't just fight you offhand, would he? No, that wouldn't be any fun," he snickered. Arceus, he's annoying. "He's given you your own Elite Four of Warrior Trainers to defeat before accessing him." I can never just have something easy. There's always a challenge behind whatever I need to get.

"Fine," I sighed. "Who's in this Elite Four?"

"Well, because they know who you're facing, I suppose it's only fair you know who you're facing. In order, you got Fyra, Eisen, Isaac and-" he grinned a grin directly from Hell that would make a normal man shit his pants "-Midas."

I didn't think. Instinct took over. He barely finished the "s" sound before I shouted "Latios! Dragon-"

"Wait a second," Midas said.

"Oh for fuck's sake, what?" Why was I even listening? I need to take him out.

"He gave us a damn order to fight you, now we both have to follow it. If you accept, all four of us will challenge you within the month. Just withstand the onslaught from whatever army members fight you until we're all done. Got it?"

"Fine, now get out of here then. Let the man who sent you know to send in his best."

"He already knows," he snickered. His Dragonite flapped its small wings that somehow managed to keep him afloat and flew off as fast as he appeared.

I sped down to Byron on Latios. He was on the ground, bruised badly and slightly burnt but still alive. His eyes slowly opened to the world, so conscience too. I placed him on Latios with me after putting his pokemon in pokeballs. "Take us to the hospital," I said. He nodded and took off.

I didn't enjoy this ride as I usually do. I was too busy thinking about how I could escape from all this bullshit and possibly end all this bullshit for everyone. Maybe I was being a little bit of a martyr, but I honestly don't care. I just want this over with. I just want a world to peacefully have a family in.

* * *

A bit of a sappy ending for my taste but I didn't really have anything else to conclude this with. As per usual, please give me a review of what you think so far. It's short but I honestly just wanted to keep the plot moving. Sue me… actually don't. People get sued over the stupidest shit nowadays and something like that could make a case maybe probably possibly.


	7. Chapter 7: Mawl the Mole

I left Byron in the hospital after giving his wife a call. She said a variety of insults followed by her telling me not to see them again until all of this is done with. I didn't plan on it anyways. I had bigger priorities than to watch over him. Besides, I don't want them hurt either. They're nice people who just don't want to get involved in my conflict. Byron was cool enough to offer to help me as long as he just got to reminisce in the old days for just a little while longer, but he has people who care for him. And so do I.

I went into the pokemon center just a little down the road. Injuries were minor if there at all, but better safe than sorry. Fyra could be here any minute, though I'd prefer to not think about it. Instead, I look at what's in front of me. There's a Nurse Joy who always seems to glare at Warrior Trainers for exposing pokemon to the risk of death at each pokemon center I visit. None of them realize that Warrior Trainers risk themselves and their beloved companions to let Brawler Trainers keep doing what they're doing. I would tell them that, but they would respond with something about there being peace if there were no soldiers to fight. I would respond with something about that being complete chaos. Whenever different Ideology collide, there is either peace when one side stops being stubborn or war when neither side gives in. A stubborn will is what wins a war, but it is what creates one as well. And a soldier fights to protect his home from the creation of these wills. That makes me worse that those who I'm fighting against. But I have a greater cause.

Nurse Joy would only need about ten minutes or so to deal with my pokemon. The phone thingy that I never bothered to learn the name of caught my eye. I walked up to the green computer with a built-in phone. I've used these many times throughout the years yet I've just named them by describing them like a four-year-old does with everything they don't know.

I wrapped my fingers around the phone and started punching in the numbers. There may as well have been tacks on the buttons, for this was already starting to be a painful phonecall to make. Then I put the phone up to my ear. Then came the dreadful ringing that seemed to have been selected just to make things a little more tense when you call someone.

The screen lit up with her face. Oh, her beautiful face. Her amber hair was tied back except for small curtains of it that managed to stay out of her ocean blue eyes. Everything about her was perfect. How or why she stays with me is a mystery. She recognized me almost instantly and her own face lit up, lighting up the screen even more-any more and I'll go blind.

"Ailbus!" she shouted in glee. Her smile was so honest and unlike the feigned one I forced upon my lips. "It's been almost two weeks with no word from you. I was getting a little worried that something happened." She always tried to guilt me into quitting my life as a Warrior Trainer. As much as I'd like to, I just can't. I couldn't before and I especially can't now. Apparently, I was silent for too long, for her next words were these: "Is something wrong?"

I could be honest and let her worry even more or I could lie to her and have her worry level stay as it is. Although the ladder is a good option, I have to go with the former. "Honey, I…" Or there's option C: tell her the danger's greater now or something like that. I mean, that's all I have to do now with the four battles. "... I accepted a job that puts me at risk-"

"What else is new?" she said as her face lost some of its light.

"-and I can't visit you for a while. It'll put you in danger." I hated the thought of not seeing her for an entire month.

"Wow, this one is serious," she frowned. "You better get some good money for this." I remember when I first took a job. She wouldn't stop begging me to cancel and stay here but I just went anyways. We needed the money and it was an easy job I was more than capable of. I slowly built myself into the business I currently am in. I work as a mercenary, traveling around and looking for work. It's never anything illegal-well, not assassination. My morals are faded, not vaporized.

"Yeah, its an amazing reward," I laughed. "You won't be disappointed when I return."

"Come home the moment you can," she smiled. "I can't wait for you to come back."

I waved goodbye and slammed the phone back down. Then I pulled out a small USB device and jammed it in the bottom of the computer. This uploaded a small worm that only lasts for a few seconds while it destroys all of the call history. I can't have anyone find out I was here, especially now that I'm being watched. If I contact anyone I know I may as well be putting a giant target on their backs surrounded by search lights and fireworks. Byron could handle himself for a little while, but I still don't want him involved.

So, my first opponent is Fyra. The name is alien to me and so is any information on her. I know more about people than a Library would, so that isn't an option. She wouldn't be on the internet either so that's another useless search… at least, I'm assuming it's a she.

I left the pokemon center with my pokemon a few minutes after that and began walking around town, reaching into mental crevices for places I know that could hold something to get any ground on this. I was starving, actually, and it was getting late. Where to find something on her can wait for tomorrow. Luckily, there was a relatively cheap hotel down the block. I gave them enough money for a burger, a soda and a room and crawled my way up the stairs. I didn't notice how tired I was until now, but I collapsed onto the rusty bed frame with an immortal creak that just wouldn't end. I almost didn't drink my root beer or eat the burger. I'm only going to sleep for a brief window of time though. I don't know if either army knows where I am, but I can't risk it.

The morning was still dark. I swear, this shouldn't be called morning. It's a minor grievance when someone reminds you that it's morning at like 2 am.

Though I hate being up at this hour, I love the hour itself. Everything's peaceful and still and the night sky with all its glittering gems are on display for all to see. The silver oyster of a moon stared down at me as I walked through the empty streets. The crisp air nipped at my skin. Everything was perfect. And that was what's wrong.

I'm being hunted as we speak. Normally things are peaceful right when the hunter goes for the kill. I meanwhile still need to find out more about my predator. Who do I know who could help me here? It's probably right in front of me and I'm too blind to see it-wait… blind…

Arceus I'm so stupid. How the fuck could I forget about The Vineyard? I haven't seen him in almost a year but it's still a vital source to anyone in my line of work to have a source to go to for information.

I released Latios and flew on his back through the night. I could sit and marvel at the beauty of the night for hours upon hours. I've done so before when some asshole used Worry Seed on me so I couldn't sleep. He slept in a coma that night.

It took half an hour but I arrived as a small vineyard just north of Floraroma City called the obvious name, Floraroma Vineyard. I remember that this place attracted three types of people. There were the party-crazed crowds that came for the drinks, there were the higher class of people who came for the sake of testing and being a connoisseur, and then there were people like me who came just for the owner of the vineyard.

I never liked going here. There's always drunk assholes and slightly buzzed snobs swarming around. The snobs are in their expensive lobby/bar place that I never once visited while the assholes are in a cheap bar you'll see twenty of in each town. A bartender serving drinks to a boisterous crowd demanding more drinks.

There's a third room labeled _The Drunken Diglet_ where a quieter group casually drinks amongst friends. This was the room I visited each time I came here. It was an open room with a small sign above the menu behind the counter with a diglet struggling to get to his drink. I couldn't help but crack a smile each time I saw the sign.

I sat right by the bartender. "What'll you have?" he asked.

"I just came to ask why the Diglet doesn't go above ground to get his drink," I replied. That was the code. Scientists have tried but no one has been able to get a Diglet above ground and it became an impossible goal for scientists. That's not relevant whatsoever, but it is an interesting fact that everyone wonders about eventually.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" He pulled back the small piece of wood that blocked entry. I nodded a thanks and continued past to a door with nothing written on it. I found out about this room by asking a serious question. Before I just thought they stored the beer behind the door. Instead, it was a man with enough alcohol in his blood to rival a keg. Yet he never truly was drunk. Either that or he's been drunk so long it mixed with his sober personality to make what I currently know. The blank door creaked open to a room filled with, well, barrels of different types of beer. I guess there is beer back here. And beyond this barrel storage room was another room with another door that blended in with the wall. If you weren't looking for it you wouldn't find it. I wrapped my hands around a small knot in the wood and struggled to open it. Dear Arceus, it was almost screwed in. They should have used a secret knock or something so he could open it from the other side, but no. I have to get splinters to get my information.

I practically broke the door open. In front of me was just a single man named Mowl sitting back in his chair with his signature bottle of beer half-empty (it's half-full when you're adding more in and half-empty when you're taking more out) in his hands. He grinned at the sight of me.

"Ah, Ailbus. I've been expecting the foolish little soldier to show up for a week now." He gazed at me with his one, milky white blind eye. It was of course an empty gaze but it was overall intimidating and just sent chills down my spine so cold I could feel myself turn more pale than his eye so white it could have been the soul of a suburban kid from Utah for all I know. And yet he was born in East Africa so it was the person you'd least expect to have _the_ most white eye of all time.

"It's not like I-"

"Yes, I know that you were framed for everything. No need to explain." He took another sip from his seemingly endless bottle-seriously, I came here for the last 11 years and he's always had the same style of bottle in his hands. It's a mystery, like Diglet. Not even he knows, and he has a Dugtrio by his side at almost every second. Even his Dugtrio has three separate beers for each one. "We both know that you're not here to complain and bitch."

"Alright, so we're not going to laugh and talk about the old days," I sighed. "Toss me a beer?" He opened a small mini fridge under his desk-filled to the brim with bottles identical to his-and lobbed one over to me. I haven't had a beer in at least a few months and I miss them. "Now, do you know who Fyra is?"

"Why do you care?" he practically spat. For a small fraction of a second I saw some life in his left eye.

"Well, long story short, I've been given a deal. I could, if I wanted, accept four fights. If I win and do well enough, I'm out of this. Even better and they'll stop the war altogether." I drank half of the beer in one gulp.

"And Fyra's the first…?"

"Followed by someone named Eisen, followed by the vague name Isaac, followed by Midas-"

"Midas?" Mowl grinned. "Good luck on that one. I'll tell you about everyone else once you come to those bridges-I don't want to divulge valuable information to a dead man-but Fyra…"

"Quit being a whore and just tell me," I shouted. He always did these things and it just got annoying. The first half a time was funny but then it was just enraging.

"Alright," he laughed. "Alright, Fyra only has three pokemon that I know about. She uses speed and precision to absolutely devastate her opponents. As far as I know, she has a Latias with Aerial Ace, Dragon Pulse, Steel Wing and Mist Ball, an Arcanine with Fire Fang, Flamethrower and Thunder Fang and a Lucario with Aura Sphere, Flash Cannon and Bone Rush. Personally, don't fight her in open skies or storms. Forests and Mountains would be my recommendation."

"I hate to admit it, but she sounds like a bitch to fight against it. It'll be a pain." I started digging myself into my thoughts of battle strategy."

"She's just a bitch in general," Mowl snickered. "Seriously, piss her off and she'll kill you without hesitating. I don't know how she managed to train to do this, but she managed to fly on her Latias at her maximum speed."

"Oh… oh, shit." I could barely manage to go at Mach 1 on Latios. How the hell can she go at Mach 3.5? I never found out how she did and it's an annoyance to the very end.

"Yeah… so that's all I know on her, so scram unless you need something else." His drunken Dugtrio all glared at me.

"Yeah yeah, on it." I opened the splinter-giver door (a lot easier to open from this side) and walked out of the Floraroma Vineyard as fast as I went in.

Fyra, the speed fighter with her Latias… I could fight her wisely in the forest so she doesn't use her Latias, or there's the other option if I instead decide to fight her head-on with Latios. Combine it with Gallade's ability to detect living beings and they won't be able to sneak up on me… no, that's fucking stupid. The beer's getting to me. Think here… her attacks are swift and accurate, so she shouldn't hurt the environment… or bystanders… what about a city where she would only be able to attack in the lines set there by streets? It's reckless but it's a strategy I can use to live another day. And I need to live for her.

* * *

Just more exposition here. Worry not, the next chapter will start getting back to the stuff you saw in the first. Anyways, again, please tell me what you think. Blah blah, don't care about follows or favorites though I wouldn't mind if you did those, but reviews would help.


	8. Chapter 8: Battle over Castelia Skies

The best environment for me to fight in wasn't in Sinnoh or even anywhere in Japan. I could go Southeast to Kanto to lure her to Saffron City, but it's not my best option. That title goes to Castelia City in Unova. It was almost a twelve hour flight all the way to the East Coast of America (Manhattan, more specifically). I prayed that I didn't encounter Fyra in the open ocean. It would be a completely aerial battle and I only have one pokemon who can do well here-two, technically, but I'd prefer not to make Metagross levitate over the seas-and I don't want to die. Especially where no one would find me or even think to look.

I haven't been here in about five years and I've been without a Casteliacone even longer. That was my first stop along the way. I wasn't specifically heading anywhere. The most I'd do is give Burgh a visit. Other than that, it's hiding in a hotel room and staying to narrow streets with Latios in hand. The Casteliacone was even better than I remember. Putting it into words is like trying to describe being on drugs. You can manage about thirty incoherent words before just smashing your hands into the keyboard in hopes to try some metaphoric way of showing people how it's like. It's a shame I can't sit there and eat it. They're so popular you don't always get your spot in line. And when you do you're forced away to eat it on the go. It goes with the style of the city, I guess.

About thirty minutes later I was almost lost and wandering around the city still. Everything was boring suddenly. I was in one of the cafes with a soda in front of me. I think it was a Root Beer, but it may have been a Cola of some brand or another. No… No, it's a Root Beer. And a damn good one at that. I downed the whole thing in one big gulp… but I'm still hungry. I asked the man for some food and he served me a breakfast sandwich. Apparently it's morning.

After scarfing it down, I looked around me. The cafe was nearly empty. There were only two other people on a date in one of the booths. They were laughing and subtly flirting. I wouldn't listen in to them due to moral standards. It was hard not to though when the only other sound was a radio station playing at next to mute.

A third person walked in minutes later. She walked in with a sword at her side and a 10 dollar bill in her hands. I've seen quite a few Warrior Trainers around the city and each one caused my hand to hover over my sword. This one was no different.

"Calm. Down boy, I'm no enemy." She chuckled. Her fiery crimson hair draped behind her. Her face and arms were wrapped in cloth, making her look slender and-bad thoughts, bad thoughts. Stop. I have something to do and thinking like _that_ will distract me from not getting killed. "Well, I am if you keep your hand over your sword." She slapped the 10 on the counter two seats away and asked for a beer.

I still kept my hand near my sword. I don't know what Fyra is supposed to look like. For all I know this is her.

"You don't trust too well, do ya?" She snickered. "I guess it's only right. Warrior Trainers don't exactly have friends unless you're in an army. And neither of us have bandanas or a Soldier's License, so that's not a possibility." I finished by soda. She finished her beer and started a second. "I love this brand. Strong and tasteful."

"I prefer a Samuel Adams," I replied.

"He speaks!" she chuckled, getting more and more drunk with each sip of her beer. She snuck to the seat next to me. Oh Arceus, just go away.

"What's your name?" she said in a seductive tone.

"Not interested," I replied.

"That's a funny name," she snickered again. She lightly brushed a hand against my hip. Oh, I see. That's her game.

I jumped out of my seat and away from her. "Don't even think about it," I seethed. I gripped the hilt of my sword.

"What, you don't want me? Are you-"

"Nice try, thief. Or should I call you by your name, Fyra?" I grinned. "Trying to take my pokemon away from me. That's just low and cowardly."

She stopped pretending to be drunk and stood up on her own. "I'm impressed you caught on so quickly. Shall we take this outside? Or fight inside and risk the innocent people?" I'm surprised she didn't try to milk the innocent, drunk whore persona a little while longer. Maybe she knew that it wouldn't work. Either way, I was more surprised she set up a fair fight and not just hacking at me with her sword.

"I'd prefer if you both went outside," said the owner of the cafe.

"That's fine," I answered. Fyra and I both headed for the door. I grabbed the knob, opened the door just enough to get out myself and slammed it closed. I had roughly a second to get going, so I threw Latios's pokeball and climbed on his back. "Go! Fly as fast as you can!" He roared and took off. I looked behind me to see Fyra on her Latias quickly closing in. Mach 1 was painful enough to travel at. How can she manage to go at 3.5?

"Aerial Ace!" she shouted. Of course due to her traveling faster than sound, I heard this after her Latias glowed a bright white and was surrounded by several white curves that intercepted at a single, sharp vertex. The red jet-like pokemon dashed right next to Latios and nearly scraped against him. She's going so fast she can't aim too well. Then I noticed her grinning as she stared back at me. That cocky bitch, she missed on purpose.

"Latios, Dragon Pulse!" I yelled. He arched his neck and formed a small, blue orb in his mouth, then spat it forward towards Latios. Fyra with her pokemon looped around and launched a barrage of Dragon Pulses and Mist Balls towards us. "Shit," I muttered. I tilted Latios left and right as the spheres sped towards us like cannon balls-more accurately, missiles from a fighter jet. I could feel the intensity of the attacks as I evaded them. All the city environment did was prevent her from firing downward or towards a building. And it made me think where I shot before I attacked. This won't work anymore. I tilted Latios eastward. "My plan failed. Let's go this way." He nodded and dashed towards the east.

"Where d'ya think you're going?" I heard an insane cackle from Fyra as she sped towards me. I was surprised I heard her. It's almost as if the creator of this world got lazy and allowed me to hear her when she said it without acknowledging that she was going faster than her voice. "Steel Wing!" The wings on her Latias sharpened and turned into reflective sheets of, well, steel. She sped up and chased us down, quickly gaining ground. I've only had a situation like this once before when I pissed off a pack (or pride or herd or whatever it's called) of Nidoking. That gave me a fear of them to this day. What's worse is that I grew up with a brother who now has a Nidoking, making visits awkward…

It never hit me until now, but I could actually die from this. She's one of the first opponents who gave me difficulty not from outnumbering my pokemon like the Mightyena and Houndoom (I can't believe that an ordinary Houndoom was the first one to land an attack on me. And that the rain, that prevented them from using flamethrower, made the Fire Fang not seal the wound closed) and I absolutely love the challenge. The threat of death sends adrenalin pumping through my blood like a torrent. I've never had someone make me so excited out of the bedroom (One month without her… hurry up and get here, I barely have been able to withstand a week). I'll actually enjoy this one… oh right. There's a Steel Wing headed right towards me.

I tilted Latios upward and he looped barely enough over her. "Latios, chase her for about ten seconds, then come back for me," I muttered into his ear. Then I let go. Latios was free to go at full speed. I've done this a few times. He's reliable.

Latios roared and tucked in his legs. I couldn't barely keep track of him. He raced in with an Aerial Ace combined with a Steel Wing, all the while spinning to form a razor-sharp drill. Fyra peered back. "Son of a bitch," she muttered. "I may as well try that myself." She slid off her Latias and started falling until she pulled out another pokeball of her own. She pressed the button and set her Pidgeot free. Oh fuck.

"Aerial Ace!" Her Pidgeot raced towards me at Mach 2. Arceus, the adrenalin became more and more potent until I was surrounded in pure ecstasy. Game on, bitch. I unsheathed my sword and set free my Metagross. The silver beast roared before starting to levitate, preventing himself from crashing into the sidewalk.

"Bring it on!" I grinned. I readied my sword. The blade has been named _Gallade's Wrath_, due to me getting the sword right when my starter pokemon, Raltz, became a Gallade. He hasn't tasted human blood yet. The most he's ever had is a Houndoom and a Nidoking.

"It's been on," she shouted back. She unsheathed her sword. It was a rapier, complimenting her swift, speedy, precise battle style. "And your head is about to be off!" I took a brief glance to see Latios still chasing Latias with a Steel Wing. She occasionally countered with her own and they performed a beautiful Dance of Death in the skies. They exchanged Dragon Pulses, but Latios wasn't using Psychic. I never knew he wanted an honorable fight with his sister pokemon. I could see a fire burning in his blue eyes. Arceus dammit, this is a side I've never seen from him. Hopefully, he'll keep both sides intact and won't get cleaved by Latias's Steel Wing.

I tapped my right foot on Metagross's back part of his head, signaling for him to use Barrier. Fyra and her Pidgeot crashed into the invisible wall and started falling down. Things are going to get more intense and I don't want the town to get hurt. However, pokemon are instinctive and can run away. Back to the original plan. I stuck two fingers in my mouth and blew as hard as I could, creating a high-pitched whistle. Latios hated to end the fight early or at least postpone it, but he darted close to Latias and unleashed a Dragon Pulse. As it blew up in a cloud of unexplained smoke, he then sped over to me as I deposited Metagross into his pokeball and flew me eastward back at Mach 1.

Fyra wasn't back at my tail with her Latias as her steed until another fifteen seconds, but at this speed, I was already at the Pinwheel Forest.

"Damn it," she sighed. "You had to make this a lot harder, didn't you?" I grinned as I lowered Latios into the forest.

"Round 2, bitch!"

* * *

With this chapter I felt I developed Ailbus a little more and I absolutely love what I've done. But that's a biased opinion. Tell me what you think of what I did? Same stuff as before, don't care for follows/favorites, but I just want reviews.


	9. Chapter 9: Vs Fyra

The trees around me were colored as if it were fall, even though it was spring. This place was always a mystery to me. Although, this wasn't what I was thinking about. I was thinking about the newest game I was playing. "Game". That's a word I've never used to describe a battle before. This one is truly enthralling and energizing. I shouldn't fight her head on and just stay in the trees, evading her attacks and forcing her to go slower… but I want a good fight.

She was still above the trees and peering through them to find me. She's open. "Latios, Aerial Ace and Steel Wing!" He roared and combined his moves together and started rushing towards Latias. I gripped onto a tree branch before he vanished into a blur. I've never seen him go this fast before in a battle. I want to go that fast. I need to find out her secret.

"There he is!" Fyra shouted to her Latias. "Dodge it and counter!" Latias darted out of the way of Latios. This'll be boring if I'm not in the action myself.

"Latios, Psychic!" His eyes glowed and an aura surrounded Fyra.

"What the hell?" she muttered. "You asshole, are you really gonna-" Latios flung her off the Latias and ensured a soft landing for her. He knew I'd want a good fight. Maybe it's his telepathy. I've never talked to him too much. I probably should more.

I started swinging on branches to get to her. It's faster and I want to get to her as fast as possible. I wrapped my hands around Gallade's pokeball and sent him out. "Where is she?" I asked him. He briefly closed his eyes then opened them again.

"A hundred feet straight ahead," he thought. "And she has a Lucario out. I'll take care of it."

"Wait a second," I smiled. "I want to see the fight."

"Are you okay?" he questioned. "You usually aren't like this. You think efficiently and strategically. Now you're obsessed with the fights. I can sense if from you."

"I'm fine. I've just been awakened. I finally have a real opponent."

"That's fine, but think about what you're doing. This isn't a game of chess. We aren't just pieces you can sacrifice."

"Trust me, I'd die for you. I'm not going to let a piece fall so that the king can walk for a while longer."

"Good… they're right up ahead and Lucario is moving towards me. Brace yourself." Gallade pounced in front of me and intercepted the angry Lucario's aura-infused Force Palm. Nice job training him, Fyra. I kept swinging past them, giving occasional glimpses to their fight. They kept blocking and countering and blocking and countering with Gallade's Brick Break and Lucario's Force Palm. Neither of them could get in a single hit. I could stay there and watch for hours if Fyra wasn't twenty feet away. I fell behind them both and ran towards her through the dense forest. The only reason I dropped down was incase she decided to go towards me. Hopefully she was.

Unfortunately she wasn't. Her rapier was drawn and ready. I unsheathed _Gallade's Wrath_ and walked towards her. She conveniently landed in a small clearing, roughly fifteen feet wide at the most.

"You have no honor," she scowled. "You threw me off Latias to let her fight with your Latios with instinct alone." I gazed up at the sky briefly to see Latias and Latios crashing into each other with Aerial Ace then both of them shake it off to continue fighting. Both were pretty equal, but I saw more heart inside Latios than Latias. I wish I could keep watching them as well, but there's also Lucario and Gallade and their powerful, accurate attacks that couldn't manage to connect fully. Then there's Fyra. My blade is ready.

"Honestly, that's not the reason. Latios just wants the fight for himself. The reason I pulled you off was so that I could fight you on land." I grinned. I can't believe I just now awakened to this new state of mind. It's pure joy. "In a way, I had more honor than you to fight on even grounds." I readied my blade.

"Oh my, a gentleman." She faked a bow. "Then allow me to return the favor." She stood in her battle stance. Her glare burned into me. I returned the favor. Everything was still. I could no longer hear the sonic booms created by Latios and Latias, nor the impacts created by Gallade and Lucario, nor any of the rustling made by the wind or by small, scurrying pokemon. I was completely trapped in this moment. I can't accurately describe this moment. I felt as if I was within another world of its own.

Fyra started the fight with a thrust of her rapier in a powerful lunge. I narrowly stepped to the side and swiped her sword away with an upward move with the side of the blade, followed by a powerful slash towards her. She jumped back then stepped forward with an attack of her own. I blocked it with, again, the side of my sword in order to avoid getting the blade dull. Of course, I've never had to use the actual sword itself, but I have the second sheath on it. That's the sword I've used throughout my life.

Am I actually reminiscing about my life in a swordfight? Holy shit, this is amazing.

Right when I was about to attack, she stopped and looked upwards. "Time out," I said. Warrior Trainers have a code. When we fight, we fight fairly. We're not barbarians. Anyways, I looked up at the sky to see what she was seeing. Latias's wing has a big spot that was a darker crimson than the scarlet red. "Latios, use Aerial Ace! Finish it!"

"Really?" Latios thought to me. That's the only time he needed to talk to me apparently, and his first words to me were doubt. "I don't… alright, fine." He glowed a bright white and stabbed himself into Latias. There was a brief groan of pain, then nothing.

"Latias!" Fyra screamed. Tears started flowing down her face. "Latias, return!" The dead Latias returned into her pokeball in her current state. She would bring her Latias back to a Pokemon Center to hear the unfortunate news. She wouldn't believe it for herself at the moment. "You were trying to kill her, you prick!" She didn't know I already did. She seems pissed as it is, I'm not telling her the truth.

"This is a battle between Warriors. It's kinda the goal." She slashed at my head and only cut a few hairs. She's a burning flame of wrath. Latios is the next target. "Latios, return." The red beam shot into Latios and drew him into his pokeball.

Then I heard another noise. It could have been a lot worse, but I started feeling regret at this point. It was a painful cry of a Lucario. I ran over to see Gallade's sword-arm all the way to his elbow deep in the jackel pokemon's chest. I could see the agony in Lucario's red eyes that slowly lost its red, and I could see the sorrow and regret in Gallade as he clenched his teeth and eyes closed. What have I done?

"Lucario!" Once again, in denial, she returned her Lucario to her pokeball. "They'll be fine in their pokeballs, they're suspended in their current state… I have enough time to get revenge!" She slashed at me with her sword. I jumped back into a tree, cornered. Then she readied her sword and slashed right after Gallade gripped my arm and used Teleport.

We both were hidden somewhere in the woods, panting and scared.

"What did I tell you? You didn't use strategy and just went head-on. You killed innocent pokemon and just pissed off the monster. I'll help you sense where they are but I'm not fighting this battle."

"I just need you for that much," I sighed. "And I'm sorry. I feel as bad as you do-maybe even worse."

"You don't have Lucario blood on your arm," he scoffed.

"AILBUS!" Fyra screamed. Oh shit. I looked above in the skies but saw nothing. I looked around in the forest but saw nothing.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"She's on her Pidgeot above the trees, and she has a pokeball in her hands."

"Really? Of what pokemon?" As if on signal, the pokemon was released into the skies. It's mighty wings glowed a brilliant orange and it's roar sent every pokemon within miles running.

"I think you can tell, but in case you can't it's Moltres." The phoenix pokemon pulled its neck back then jerked it forward, sending a jet of flames into the forest, turning trees into charcoal and ash almost instantaneously.

Above them was a pissed off Fyra, glaring down at the raging inferno engulfing the Pinwheel Forest. She tore off her cloth on her arms, revealing huge burn marks coating her hands and forearms and huge scratches on her face. I later learned that that was the price she paid to capture her Moltres. "I will pay you back for what you did, you _sonofabitch!_" she screamed.


	10. Chapter 10: A Fiery Duel

"Let's get out of here," Gallade shouted to my thoughts as he pulled on my arm. "It's dangerous here. We'll cook out here if we don't run. Or Teleport."

"Don't even think about it," I ordered. My brow narrowed in anger as I stared at the angry Moltres burning the forest. I covered my ears as I heard the painful screams of the pokemon who couldn't get out of the fire. A flaming Patrat scurried into the cave we hid in. His fur was all gone and his skin was covered in burns and bubbly patches. He could no longer scream in agony as he wanted to. Fyra was blinded in anger so much that she no longer cared about the innocent pokemon. I'm glad I lured her away from the forest. "If I don't try to stop her, everything in her path will burn." The Patrat was dead at this point.

"And you're going to put us at risk to stop her?"

"No, not entirely."

"Another question, why aren't you putting out the fire? You have a water type."

"Yeah, but it'll be pointless if she keeps burning everything. I'll put out the fires when Moltres is out of the picture." I sent out Latios and Electivire. "Latios, take Electivire into the skies and get rid of Moltres." They nodded and sped out into the skies. My pokemon can withstand traveling up to Mach 3, lucky bastards. I was going to shout further orders, but they wouldn't hear me.

"Is that all you're doing for now? The only other pokemon who can fly is your levitating Metagross," Gallade thought to me. "And if you send him out, he won't catch up to them. And Moltres will absolutely tear him up with Flamethrower."

"Barrier," I replied. "Don't forget he knows Barrier." It was a pain in the ass to have him get that move in his arsenal. It was thought to be impossible, but I managed to teach him to form walls with his psychic abilities. He definitely has the capacity in his supercomputer brain. "Metagross can protect himself and probably can get close enough to catch Fyra in his Psychic."

"You're doing that again?" he scoffed.

"Yup," I replied. "Works the first time, works a second time with a little effort. The third time is even harder and the fourth shouldn't work at all if they learn anything. Good thing this is only the second time." I unleashed the silver Metagross. He roared a powerful roar that quickly turned to a surprised yelp as he saw the raging inferno.

"Up there, if you're wondering why everything's on fire," I said, pointing to the Moltres who was now burning up a new portion of the woods.

"AILBUS, YOU PRICK! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Fyra shouted.

"Gallade, bring her here."

"No," he said. "I'm sorry, but I won't separate her from her pokemon. Trainers battle with their pokemon and the way you're fighting isn't like you."

"Fine then," I sighed. "If not that, then take Metagross and I to her."

"... Alright, sure." He put a hand on my shoulder, digging his fingers in and piercing the skin, and a hand on Metagross. Next thing I knew, Metagross was levitating above the growing orange flame and I was standing on his head with my eyes shooting daggers at Fyra, who was flying the opposite way.

"Metagross," I muttered. "Use Psychic on a pebble or something and throw it at her." He nodded, causing me to briefly lose my balance, and complied. The small stone shot directly at her arm with a brief bolt of pain that she shrugged off. Then she and her Pidgeot slowly turned towards me like a monster in a horror movie, but much more nightmare-inducing. Her eyes were more primal and filled with rage, and yet there were still small streams of tears coming down from them that made her much frightening. And as they turned towards, the flames began to burn brighter and hotter and higher.

I gave a brief glance over to Latios and Electivire. He shot Thunderbolts at Moltres and his steed fired Dragon Pulses in the same direction while dodging the giant bird's Flamethrower-wait, he moved on to using Fire Blast. It was a good fight. I wish I could watch longer, but this monster in front of me is about to charge and that's not something I'd like to take without giving a damn.

"Found you," she smirked.

"More like I made myself known," I replied.

"Aerial Ace!" She shouted. Her Pidgeot glowed a bright white and darted towards me.

I tapped my foot on the lower left part of his head, signaling Barrier, but held it there, waiting for the right moment to lighten the pressure and tell him when to use it. She was coming in fast, so I released my foot and tapped on the top right, once again holding it there. Her Pidgeot didn't have time to react and crashed into the wall with a squawk of pain. Apparently, stopping suddenly after going over the speed of sound hurts like a bitch. The large bird grew dazed and couldn't function properly, causing him to fall down. Then I released my right foot.

Metagross roared and stopped levitating, falling to the ground above the Pidgeot. This is getting fun. It's becoming more of a game, but I don't want Fyra to get caught in this. "Psychic Fyra away from this," I quickly spat out. Metagross's eyes lit up and Fyra flew to a flameless patch a stone's throw away. I know I shouldn't interfere, but I don't want to end things so soon. This is the first game I've ever played. The silver beast started picking up speed as gravity's clutch on him grew stronger and stronger. Pidgeot just started to regain his sense, but it was too late.

"Heavy Slam!" I shouted. The half-ton Steel-Type crashed into the bird and crushed it on the ground with a red splatter of blood. If the dirt didn't provide cushion for Pidgeot to sink into, he would have been in several pieces. Thankfully, it was one piece with open wounds.

"3-0," I said. "I'm winning." Arceus, what's wrong with me? How am I not sickened by any of this? This is just so… amazing. I've never felt so alive. She's not as great as a challenge anymore, but I want to finish her with my own blade. I have honor as a Warrior.

I looked up at the sky to see Latios diving in for a full impact with Aerial Ace combined with Steel Wing while Electivire used a barrage of Thunder Punches, both cringing slightly at the intense flames. Moltres was swiping at them both fiercely with his sharp talons and drawing slight amounts of blood, but they kept attacking. The phoenix was getting weaker. Just a little longer. I withdrew Metagross back into his pokeball. Then another threat made itself known.

"You bastard!" she screamed through a shimmering veil of tears. She sprinted towards me with her rapier drawn. I drew my sword and turned towards me.

"We're Warrior Trainers. This is what we chose when we took this path. And you're the one who chose to fight me."

"It wasn't my choice," she scowled. I thought nothing of it at the time. Fyra swung her blade at me. I could barely even see the sword move. The only hint I saw of its slash was the raw, powerful wind that hit me in the stomach.

One more glance up in the sky revealed Latios making the final charge into Moltres and Electivire making the final Thunder Punch as the phoenix's flames started to die out. He started crumbling into ashes. Unfortunately, this phoenix isn't like the myth. He won't rise from these ashes. A legendary pokemon fell without me putting in any effort.

"This isn't as fun anymore," I sighed. She was blinded by anger and completely open to my attack. I swung with the sword and cut about an inch deep along her arm. Blood slowly trickled down and off her elbow. She didn't react to the pain, but she realized that she couldn't win this.

"Hey, hold on a second," she said in a low, solemn tone. Her hand pulled out a pokeball. That bitch, she's trying to send out another pokemon! I pulled out Gallade's pokeball, but she didn't react whatsoever. She started sobbing as she pressed the button on the pokeball, sending out an Arcanine. "Arcanine, get out of here." He cocked his head. "I said get out of here!" She stabbed the pokeball with her sword. Now it was just metal and wires. It took a minute, but her Arcanine walked into the fire with sorrow in his eyes. "I have to continue fighting this. I have no choice. Arcanine ain't with me, he's off limits, got it?"

"Don't worry, I won't hunt him down." The flames seemed to spin and dance around the small battlefield we claimed as our own. I've been in the desert before without any protection from the heat, and that is the arctic compared to this. Sparks flew around in the blazing convection currents of hot wind. She shifted her sword to her other hand. I both didn't want to continue and contradicted myself with an aching desire to swing _Gallade's Wrath_ at her.

"No regrets, right?" I grinned. The ladder desire won in the end, I guess.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." And she pounced forward with her rapier aimed at me. The fight only lasted about a minute.

Almost an hour later, things were normal. Fyra fell after a short few swings were exchanged. She put a small scratch on my cheek. I put a huge gash in her chest. That's how the life of a Warrior Trainer is, I guess. I've never used this sword against another human being with the intent to kill until today.

The fires died down after Moltres died himself. Roughly twenty minutes later, the forest was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash. I buried Fyra in a small pit and had Metagross throw a boulder over it to cover her. Then, as a symbol that it was hers, I stuck her Rapier down to the ground in front of her grave.

"I'm not one for sappy speeches, so sorry if you were expecting one," I said, looking down at the grave. "But I just want to say that you're the most challenging opponent I've had. You forced a side of me to wake up, and I just want to say thanks." I started walking away, but I forgot something. "Oh, by the way, I'll take Latias, Lucario and Pidgeot to Celestial Tower for you."

Just for the sake of surviving, I burned down an entire ecosystem in a single battle. I could bitch and moan about how bad I feel for hours, but it would fix nothing. No, that job goes to the pokemon behind me.

As I started to hear something moving in the ashes, I pivited around on my left foot. I expected to see her Arcanine back for revenge or something. Instead it was Virizion, looking utterly depressed as she saw what happened to her home. Then she started glowing green like grass on a springtime hill. She was graceful and elegant and almost divine in appearance. Then the most wonderful thing happened. The ash started gaining its mysteriously red and orange color and the brown color of the bark. The bark and leaves came back from the pile of colors, then they formed into the trees they once were. Life started returning. Pokemon were scampering around in the brush again. Pidove were singing songs.

Virizion gave me a long, hard stare after that. I don't know if she was telling me something like _Worry not traveler, for the forest has returned to the way it was. Continue on your journey with a clean conscience_ or if it was more like _I returned my home to the way it was before you destroyed it. Ruin it again and we'll hunt you down._ Either way, I was relieved that the forest was back. "Thanks," I said to her. She ran off into the brush, never to be seen by me again. I shrugged and continued on my path.

That was just one fight. I still have three more. Eisen's next... then Isaac, then Midas... Eisen, huh? I guess I'll have to go see Mowl about it. Besides, I could use a drink after this.

* * *

You know what goes here by now. Please review, blah blah blah. It's almost midnight and I've been working all day. I just want to finish this for you before I go to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11: Iron Island

It's been two days since the flames destroyed Pinwheel Forest and Virizion returned the life back. This brought some relief, but was overshadowed by the towering regret that loomed over everything else I felt. The second tallest was reason. We both signed up for this (not literally, of course. Legally, there's no such thing as Brawler and Warrior Trainers. It's an unofficial path we take when we start our journey. We can switch paths at any time, but people have reasons for being on that path) and death wasn't hidden in the fine print. Hell, it may as well have been the title. _The Warrior Trainer Path. Death wants _YOU! would be written below a picture of the reaper, who was pointing directly at the person looking, and the contract would be hanging off his scythe. Of course, that contract doesn't exist, but still.

Even though we both signed up, that doesn't change-oh shut the hell up. I'm annoying myself to the point where I might punch myself if I keep being an emotional sack of complaints and grief.

I ditched said sack as I was about to enter Canalave City. It was a nice shipping town that I came to when I needed some peace and quiet. Honestly I'm surprised at just how quiet a town full of sailors is. I would talk to Mawl right now, but honestly I don't feel like it right now. It's been roughly four days total so far. Eisen should show up in week two. Instead I'll kill some time and visit an old friend.

The ship to Iron Island took off at about noon. I've taken this cruise many times and the ocean never stops astounding me. The vast, endless blue sea stretching out beyond where my eyes can reach, the Wingull and fish pokemon gliding near the surface… it's just wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

Iron island is a major contrast. It's gray and rocky and dull. I wouldn't come here at all if Luca didn't live here. His house still stands now just a short walk from the docks, and it was the only house on the island. Luca's wife died a while ago from an accident in the mines. They stopped all work in their and everyone left. Well, everyone but Luca and his son Riley.

"You should have warned me beforehand that you were coming by," said Luca. "The house is a mess." It's been at this same level of mess from the day she died. There were always dishes in the sink and small spills on the floor. It wasn't entirely bad but a clean-freak wouldn't stay here. There was another house next to theirs that was a lot cleaner than his own that said clean-freak would stay at. Because he was the only place here, they earned money from tourists.

"Yeah, but I didn't plan on visiting you here until about a day ago," I replied. "Besides, it's more a fun to see your surprised reaction."

"Whatever. It's good to see you again."

"Yeah," said Riley just to feel like he was contributed to the conversation. He was about six or seven. I don't know but I don't want to ask.

"It's nice to see you again too." Personally I liked it here more without all the people here. It was peaceful. I'd live here if Delia didn't want to stay where she was. "It's been about a year."

"And two years between then and your last visit." Luca turned to me. "You haven't been visiting your friends as often as you should have. You only recently met up with Byron after 4 or 5 years, and look what happened to him. You barely even see your own goddam wife."

"Listen, I don't want to talk about this. I came here to relax. I don't need you nagging on me. Why do you think I don't visit her more often?" I joked. He was trying not to laugh.

"I know you well enough. Why did you really come here?"

"Actually, no big reason." Luca looked skeptical. "I'm serious," I assured.

"Sure you are," he said. "Whatever you're doing here it's alright. Use me for shelter while you're working." He's always sarcastically making me like an asshole.

The next day I headed out into the mines. It wasn't as creepy as someone would think it was walking through a dark cave filled with moving rock creatures of all sorts. The air was somehow both stale and thick with the smell of dust and stone. I didn't even know they had a smell before I came here. And it's a smell I couldn't find anywhere else. After only two minutes of bumping around in the gloomy caves I grew tired of this. I grabbed Electivire's pokeball and brought him out in a flash of light. "Electivire!" he roared.

"Electivire, start sparking," I said. He flexed a little, set up a string of lightning between his antennae and illuminated the cave in a light blue. It was a flickering, dim light that made that annoying zapping sound constantly, but it's a light nonetheless.

I spent roughly an hour walking through caves. I trained here before with my friends. Each turn in the cave showed a result from the training, such as the cuts and dents and burns in the walls. Each one I traced my finger along as I let nostalgia come back to me. These were some of the better battles I've had and it's unfortunate that I can't have them again.

"Excuse me," said a man. I jumped a little as I snapped back into the cave. I'm used to being alone here. "Do you know how to get out of here?" He looked older than he was. His head was shaven completely and he had a lit cigarette in his mouth. Those were the normal things about him. He wore only a green tank top and a pair of white jeans in a cold, dingy cave. And he had a pair of sunglasses on. IN A CAVE.

"Uh," I said, puzzled. I usually wandered until I smelled the ocean breeze and saw the open seas. "Sorry, I don't."

"Oh, that sucks," he said. "Good thing I know." I stared at him for a second, utterly confuse. "I've been here a lot. I know this place better than the back of my hand." He held up his left arm and revealed that his hand was made of metal. "Haven't seen it in about 40 years. Training accident when I was a kid." He grinned when he talked about it. He acted like it was a trophy and he was showing the spoils of war to his buddies. Needless to say, he was odd.

"What?" I couldn't comprehend what he just said. Or why.

He extended his metallic hand for a handshake. "It's time for introductions."

"I'm Ailbus," I said hesitantly as I gripped his steel hand.

"Well my last name is Ferrum. My family traces so far back they spoke Latin. They discovered large iron veins so they were named after the Latin word for iron, ferrum. My mom was raised in Germany and named me after the German word for iron. She didn't know what my last name meant." Thanks for the etymology lesson. "My name's General Eisen Ferrum."

I smacked his hand away and jumped back, gritting my teeth and putting a hand on my sword. "Only two days afterwards?" I was staying as focused as I could. "And… you're name is Iron Iron?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "My soldiers call me Iron Wing… and don't worry, my soldiers aren't here. You'll deal with them later if you manage to survive this."

"When," I corrected.

"Well, I'm not so sure about that. You picked a horrible spot for this. A cave of all places?" He shook his head. "I thought your source would have advised you against this place."

"Well I thought I had more time. I just came to visit Luca."

"Foolish," he replied. "We'll come at any time. Be ready at any moment."

Electivire started moving towards him. "Easy," I said. I looked at him through his sunglasses. "And don't act like tough shit. Fyra was easy prey."

"Fyra was weak," Eisen replied. "She made a mistake both of us were smart enough not to make. She wasn't cut out to be a Warrior Trainer. She lost her cool and freaked out when the battle didn't go as she thought it would be. She wasn't deserving of her Moltres."

"And I killed it," I replied.

"Which is stupid. You could have used it yourself," he scoffed.

"I wouldn't use it myself," I said. "It'd be a last resort at best and a trophy at worst."

"You could have sold it. You wouldn't have to work ever again."

"The thought of giving a legendary pokemon to someone who just buys it disgusts me," I scowled. "And I like this job. The consequences may be bad but the job itself is fun."

"Yeah but you don't have any clients anymore," he smirked. "You're a criminal in the eyes of both sides."

"And an enemy in yours," I replied. "Now let's cut the shit and get down to business."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," he said with a ring of smoke. He reached for a pokeball by his waist and tossed it in his hand a few times like a baseball. Then he threw it on the ground and sent out a large rock type pokemon. It towered over me with large orange stones bulging out of its brownish-gray body. Two horns jabbed out of its head and the larger one was a drill pointing directly at me. Rhyperior. That's why caves were a bad idea.

I pulled out a pokeball of my own. "Gallade, unsheath!" I shouted as I threw his pokeball on the ground. He came out in a flash of light and roared in the face of the Rhyperior. Neither budged as they stared into each other and growled. Eisen and I did as our pokemon did.

"If you're not going to, I'll take the first move. Rhyperior!" His rock type nodded and reached onto the ground. He picked up a large rock… no, that's not it. I can barely see anything with only the light from Electivire's antennae, but it was moving. I figured out what it was when I heard it say _geo_. Geodude. Oh shit.

The Geodude fell back into the small hole in Rhyperior's arm and he compressed the muscles in said arm in an instant, sending the small rock type soaring directly towards Gallade and I. Luckily he grabbed both ELectivire's my arms and used Teleport, moving me out of the way. The Geodude burst in a fiery explosion on the wall behind me. Of all places, a cave. I have to fight him in a cave full of geodude that know Self Destruct. For fuck's sake. I sent Electivire back into his pokeball and started running. Gallade can lead me somewhat.

"Where'd ya go?" shouted Eisen. "Running from a battle? How cowardly."

"This is how I fight," I shouted. My words echoed through the cave to him. "You're fighting using the environment, so I will to." Another Geodude exploded behind me as I ran. This'll be a pain in the ass. If I run too fast he'll hear me and shoot me down with Rhyperior. But I need to stay a good distance away from him. Arceus damn it.

Then I froze on the spot when I heard the frightening sound of gushing water flowing through the chain of caves.

* * *

Okay, after this chapter new ones are going to start coming more slowly now that I'm working on two. Don't ask why. But tell me what you think of this chapter. A follow/favorite would be nice but I'd prefer a review to know how I can improve the story. And lastly thanks for reading. If you read this far into this mess, I genuinely thank you for that.


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